When the Rain Comes
by SunnySmile1324
Summary: When John Smith meets the impressionable young woman named Clara Oswald, he falls in love. The only thing is, his brother got to her first. Whouffle AU
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! New fic! This one is a Whouffle AU with both Souffez and Allonswin, but mostly Souffez. :) It's another multi-chapter fic of mine, but this is the first multi-chaptered Whouffle fic I've written, so bare with me! :) I hope you enjoy this first chapter!**

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**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

**WARNING: Adult themes of attempt rape in this chapter! It's just attempt and doesn't get too far, but if you get triggers from that sort of thing, don't read!**

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_Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world  
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere  
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit  
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere_

_"Don't Stop Believin'" _by Journey

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She met him when it was raining.

Clara Oswald was working her shift at the Rose & Crown bar. She strode by a large group of men to pick up their empty glasses.

"Oi! You! Pretty lady!" Clara rolled her eyes before turning to the large group of men. "How much for you to give me a good night?"

Clara smirked despite herself and took a few steps forward. She gently grabbed the man who made the remark by the collar. She stroked his chest teasingly, then pushed him away. "More than you could ever afford."

"Well, I'm a rich man," he replied.

Clara raised her eyebrows. "Who said anything about money?" Then, she promptly turned and walked away.

She sighed as she headed to the back. Clara knew that her job wasn't for the highest rank, but it paid well and worked best with her daytime classes. She looked up at the clock and realized her shift was nearly over. She took off the black apron she was wearing for the job and hung it up.

"Clara, you done for the day?" her boss asked.

"Yeah. Just gonna pick up one more check and then I'll be off." She walked over to the empty table where the large group used to sit. She picked up the check and put it in, and saw writing on the receipt. It read, _"I was hoping for a good shag, but the view was surely nice. I hope you service me further in the future. ;)"_ Clara scowled. There were too many horny pervs in the world. She entered everything in and took her day's tips.

When Clara was outside, she began to open her umbrella, before being roughly grabbed by the waist and thrust against the brick wall of the alleyway. She squirmed and screamed, "Get off me!" but she was held firm. She looked up to see the man who was treating her like a prostitute in the bar.

He smirked at her. "I told you that you would be servicing me further in the future. Now stay calm; it'll be more enjoyable."

She tried to scream but his mouth crashed into hers to silence her off. He thrusted his tongue in her mouth and she did the one thing she could: she bit his tongue. Hard. He pulled away and scowled. Her head roughly banged against the wall as he held her, working at the buckle of his pants. His hand began to go up her skirt as she wriggled around. "Please, just get off me! Get off me now!" she screamed.

His free hand grabbed her hair and twisted it painfully as he ceased his attack. He pulled her neck down and moved his mouth to her ear. "No. You denied me back there, embarrassed me, and no one does that. You need to be punished."

Clara tried her best to push him off. He pinned her arms down with one of his hands as he started to go up her skirt again. Her thighs were held tight, and he forced them apart. A tear rolled down her face as she came to terms that no one was going to come help her.

Then, another man came and tapped her attacker on the shoulder. "She said no," the stranger said sternly. As he turned around, Clara kneed him in the crotch at the same time the new man punched him in the face. He grabbed Clara's hand, gently, and pulled her. "Come on! Run!" She followed him as they ran away from the narrow alleyway and back into the crowded streets of London. As soon as the two stopped, she ran to her savior and threw her arms around him.

"Thank you."

It took the man about five seconds to wrap his arms back around her in return. "No problem. You just needed him to be distracted, I saw how you kicked him."

She pulled away. "He was going to rape me."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that. Jerk. Good thing we stopped him."

Clara smiled at him. He seemed to be an odd man. Tall, scrawny, but he looked sweet. It was a bit risk for a guy like him to take on a big guy like the one she encountered. "Thanks again."

The man shrugged. "My name is John Smith, by the way."

"Clara. Clara Oswald." She held out her hand for him to shake.

He grabbed her arm, but instead of shaking it, he pulled her towards him. "Let's get out of here." He smiled at her for half a second, then looked surprised. "Wait. No. Not like that. I mean, let's get out of this place, not 'let's get out of here' in the sexual term," he explained awkwardly. He turned slightly red.

Clara raised an eyebrow. "You're silly."

"What's wrong with silly?"

"Nothing. Still talking to you, aren't I?" She smiled at him and opened up her umbrella. "So, where are we headed?"

John frowned. "I don't know. I tend to wander about until I find something interesting."

Clara linked her arm with his. "Very well. Wander we will." They smiled at each other brightly, and began walking down the streets of London.

That was how John Smith and Clara Oswald became best friends.

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They found themselves in a little café. It was getting late, but they were enjoying their time together.

John plopped into his seat and gave Clara the tea that she ordered. "So, Clara Oswald, what brings you to London?"

"I'm not a tourist."

"Obviously not, as you work in this city. But you're not native here. Your accent gives it away." He winked at her.

"I'm from Blackpool. Nineteen years old, here for university. University of London. First year, planning on becoming a teacher. Took a gap year to visit Italy and France to take my mind off of things." She sipped her tea.

"Take your mind off what things?"

Clara sighed. "My mum died about three years back. I started doing a bit bad in school. I used to be a perfect student, but things like that distracts a person. My dad decided that taking a year off would be best. The University let me go, kept my spot, and here I am."

John gave her a look of sympathy. "Yeah, I'm off connections with my family as of three months now."

"Why?"

"They expected me to follow in their footsteps. I didn't want to, and they threw a fit. Do what they say or leave. So I left."

Clara nodded, understanding what he meant. She's rather do something she loved rather than be who someone else wanted her to be. They quietly drank their tea as they looked out the window. The rain continued to pour during the night. John's words brought her out of her faze. "Everyone calls me the Doctor. At least, that's what I prefer. John Smith is way too simple."

She smiled. "So, Doctor, what else is there to your story?"

He shrugged. "Not much. Apart from my family, I'm not much. Well, I am, but not special."

"Sure you are! What do you do for a living? Or, what university do you go to?"

The Doctor smiled. "I graduated around four months ago, last semester, with my PhD in mental science. I'm a psychologist now."

"Blimey!" Clara exclaimed. "How old are you?"

"Twenty going on to twenty-one." When her eyes almost bulged out of her head, he exclaimed, "I'm also a bit of a genius."

"Woah, _a bit_? You managed to get a PhD in two years?"

"Four. I graduated high school at sixteen."

She nodded in disbelief. "Is that why they call you Doctor? Dr. John Smith? Psychologist?"

The Doctor fiddled with his fingers. "I fix people. Always have. Not really as a therapist. I just fix things."

Clara said it so quietly, he barely even heard her. Heck, he didn't even realize she had said anything! "Can you fix me?"

She looked up at him, and he had heard. "You don't need fixing," he had replied.

Clara Oswald was sure that it was the nicest thing someone has ever said to her.

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**Please drop a review! Reviews are my food! :3 The more reviews I get, the faster I update!**

**~ Sunny**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, everyone! Here's the second chapter! I really hope you like it so far! It's more of a filler chapter, where it gets to the main plot is about three chapter or so after this one. I just wanted to get some background to some of the characters before I go in deeper. :)**

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**WARNING: Some violence this chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

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**Reply to reviews!**

**Lauren: Thank you! I tried my best to make it flow well with the canon show. :) I hope this update was soon enough for you! :3**

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_I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums  
__Oh what a shame that you came here with someone  
__So while you're here in my arms  
__Let's make the most of the night like we're gonna die young_

_"Die Young"_ by Ke$ha

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One year later, John Smith and Clara Oswald were still the best of friends, and they had became flatmates somewhere along the road.

On Halloween day, the Doctor and Clara spent all day preparing the house for the party that Clara had begged to throw.

"Clara," John moaned. "I don't think they'll care if the floor is clean. They'll just walk on it anyways!"

Clara shoved the mop at him. "_Clean_, " she told him sternly. He sighed and took the mop and began wiping the floor. "Besides, I'd rather it be too clean rather than being judged for my flat to be dirty."

"_Our _flat. Why are we throwing this last minute party anyways?"

Clara threw John a glare. "We need to have fun."

He pieced everything together. "No, you do. You got dumped and now you need random guys to flirt with. _That's_ why you invited pretty much every dude you have ever met."

Clara frowned. "That wasn't my intention."

The Doctor tilted his head in apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." He placed the mop against the wall and pulled her into a hug. "I know it happened only yesterday. But he was a douche."

Clara wept into his shoulder. "I know. But it was nearly our six month anniversary, and he said some really horrible things."

The Doctor stroked her hair in comfort. "Like what? Do you need me to punch him?"

Clara sniffled. "He said I too emotional..."

"How is that a bad thing? You're just emotional enough to show the world that you care!"

"Bossy..."

"Sorry, can't argue against that one." He grinned.

She giggled, then frowned again. "I'm not very pretty..."

The Doctor pushed her shoulders so that she could stare at him. "Are you kidding? Clara Oswald, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, both inside and outside. If anyone else says otherwise, then they are dumb."

"You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not. And Tom will be _very_ sorry the next time he sees me."

"Don't get yourself hurt!"

"Don't you worry, Clara Oswald."

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The party had started out pretty smoothly. Clara had only started giving out invitations the day previous, so John thought the amount of people who actually came was pretty tremendous.

What got John was Clara's costume. Once they were done preparing for the party, she had emerged from her room wearing a _very_ tight full-body black leather costume that left little to the imagination. She had put on cat ears and used eyeliner to paint whiskers to claim she was a cat, but the Doctor could not stop staring. His jaw nearly dropped when he first saw it, and she had said, "Down boy!" when a tent in his pants began to form. (She hadn't noticed it, thankfully.)

John, on the other hand, went simple. He dressed as an old Victorian man. Clara had giggled at his costume, making him flustered, but she assured him that it wasn't because it was silly. "It fits you so well!" she had exclaimed, straightening his bow tie. Then, she kissed his cheek, leaving him to blush furiously.

John awkwardly sat to the side while the party was going on, drinking his beer steadily. He stared at his beautiful Clara, jealousy clotting his mind as she danced with an attractive man. He began to scowl when the man grabbed her arse and started grinding on her. He would've walked over and given the man a good punch, but it did not seem unwelcomed by Clara. Then again, she was probably very drunk by that point.

The truth was, John Smith was in love with Clara Oswald. If he had it his way, he would've jumped up and snogged her to no end as soon as he heard the news that she was no longer dating Tom, but she was delicate. She needed to heal. She made it clear that she didn't want a boyfriend for the rest of eternity the minute she had started ranting to him about how stupid Tom was. He was, of course, extremely happy at the fact that she was now single, but he felt guilty about it.

All hell broke loose the minute Tom walked through the door and into the party.

The Doctor immediately stood up and scowled, running over towards Tom. "You!" he screamed, "You are the biggest arse I have ever had the misfortune to meet!"

Tom smirked at him, glancing over at Clara's drunkness and chuckling. "Because I treated her exactly how women should be treated?"

"You think women are to be treated like nothing? What is a woman to you? A person that's just there to service you?" The Doctor was fuming.

Tom pretended to think it over. "If you mean service me in a sexual way, then yes. There's no other point to them."

The Doctor screamed in rage, jumping over and tackling Tom down. He made a fist with his hand and threw the fist down at Tom's face. "You wanker! You don't deserve Clara! She deserves someone who treats her like an actual person! Someone who cares and loves for her!"

A gentle hand pulled at his shirt, and he heard a soft pleading. "John, please stop." He turned around, dropping Tom the second Clara's voice hiy his ears. Tom took the opportunity, throwing himself at John and the two landed on the hard floor. They began to roll around as hands flew to maim the other. John gasped out in pain when Tom grabbed hold of a beer bottle and smashed it against his head. Clara's pleads became screams of terror as she kept yelling at them to stop.

Tom was finally pulled away by one of his friends. He glared at the injured Doctor, spitting on his lifeless form. John grunted in pain as he tried to move his arm to wipe the saliva off himself.

"Get out! Everyone! The party's over!" Clara screamed out. She rushed to the Doctor side, cradling his head in her lap. "I told you not to get hurt."

The Doctor smiled the best he could. "I'll be fine. It was worth it."

She ran to grab a medical kit, and brought the Doctor some water. She picked the glass pieces from his skin and placed a gauze in its place. "Come on, chin boy." She helped him up off his feet and lead him to the couch. "Are you okay?"

"I told you, I'll be fine. I think I heard something crack. I'm pretty sure it was his arm. He deserved it."

Clara laughed. "Thank you for protecting me. Though, don't ever do it again." She pointed a finger at him as if to say,_ Or else_.

He nodded at her, sighing. "We should've stuck with my Halloween plan. A movie is a simple thing that doesn't resolve in injuries."

"We can still do that!" They smiled at each other.

A movie and a few drinks later, the two were completely hammered. They giggled at every little thing, laughing when people died within the movie. "I think that...that was the best movie ever," Clara slurred happily.

The Doctor giggled. "Definitely! I can tell you..." He trailed off laughing, pointing at her.

Clara frowned. "What? What is it?"

The Doctor stopped laughing. "Oh, it's just that's the sexiest costume I have ever seen. It makes me feel tingly when I see you in it." He giggled some more, and Clara joined in.

Clara sat up and straddled his sitting form. She plucked his bow tie. "Is that so?" She slurred. The Doctor gulped. Her mouth moved next to his ear. "Would you like to see what's under it?"

The Doctor groaned as she squirmed gently against him. He made a small squeak at her words, not knowing what to do as she threw his bowtie to the floor and began working on the buttons of his shirt. Clara lowered her head and crashed her mouth into his. He happily responded, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. His hands moved between her neck and her back.

When her hands touched the bare skin of his chest, it felt like a bucket of cold water was poured on him. Reality bled through, and he felt completely sober. He pulled away from Clara, gently pushing her off him. "We can't do this Clara."

She frowned, making a pouting face. "Why not?" she asked innocently, moving towards him again.

The Doctor moved off of the couch. "We're completely drunk. You'll regret this in the morning." He walked away and let her pout on her own. He was really aroused, and he wanted to go back to her and agree to shag, but she was only doing it out of comfort.

When he returned to Clara, she had passed out and fallen asleep. He sighed and picked her up, bringing her to her room. He set her down and pulled the covers over her. He heard her give a little content sigh.

John smiled at her, leaning down to press a kiss to her brow.

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**Thank you for reading! Please, please, please review! They really make my day!**

**~ Sunny**


	3. Chapter 3

***gasp!* An update? Already? This is the fastest update I've ever had so far! So, another filler-ish chapter (*sigh* I know...but we need some way to get to know the characters!), but there is a bit of Allonswin in here. Yay! :3 I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

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_Who will love you?_  
_Who will fight?_  
_And who will fall far behind?_

_"Skinny Love"_ by Bon Iver

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Clara woke up with a groan. Her head was pounding. "What happened last night?" she whispered to herself. She wiggled uncomfortably. Her costume was so tight. She only remembered bits and pieces of the previous night. Lots of drinking...lots of dancing...Tom coming...a fight...

Clara slowly sat up, holding her head. She got up out of bed and looked at her clock. It was nearly midday. She froze for a moment in fear, but relaxed when she remembered that she didn't have any classes that day. However, she did have a double shift at the bar to make up for her missing it yesterday. She temporarily changed into something more comfortable.

Clara walked out of her room, grimacing as she walked into bright light.

"Morning!" John smiled cheerfully.

Clara groaned. "Not so loud." She opened the fridge and pulled out some chocolate. She pulled it from the wrapper and began munching on it. "What happened last night? The last thing I remember was half way through the movie."

John froze. "Er, nothing much. Just got really drunk then I put you to sleep." He refused to look into her eyes.

Clara glared at him. "John," she started, her voice stern. "You have your guilty face. What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. Nothing happened." He looked up at her and cowered. "Youprettymuchseducedmeandwemadeoutandalmosthadsexandthenipushedyouawayandyoufellasleep," he rushed out, eyes wide. "I didn't mean for it to happen!"

"Doctor!" she exlaimed, exasperated. "Were you seriously gonna keep that from me?" She sat down, covering her face. "Oh god. Drunk me is so embarrassing!"

He smiled sheepishly. "If it makes you feel any better, you're an excellent kisser!"

Clara glared at him. "No, that _doesn't_ help."

He awkwardly patted her back. "I was going to pretend it never happened to save you from the awkwardness, but you fished it out of me. Well, you looked at me, but you can get pretty scary!"

She continued to glare at him, making him back away from her. "Please save the awkwardness. This never happened."

The Doctor frowned when she looked away. He was hoping that she would have remembered, and realized that she wouldn't have regretted it, but of course that didn't happen. Silly Doctor. Hoping for things that were never going to happen. He was stuck in the endless loop of unrequited love. The previous night, when she kissed him, had been the best moment of his life. He stared at her beauty, wishing he could start over. He had ruined it for the two of them. He was sure that she used to have feelings for him, but with his shyness, he had gotten to her too late. She already began to date Tom. John needed to find a way to make Clara fancy him in that way. Love him the way he loved her.

"Hello?" John snapped out of his daze when Clara began to wave her hand in front of him. "You still there?"

"Yeah, sorry! What were you saying?"

Clara rolled her eyes. "Nothing, don't worry about it. I'm going to go take a shower. Feel free to join me."

John spit out his drink as he registered what she had said before she called out, "It was a joke, chin!"

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Clara exited the Tube and walked over to the bar. She glanced at her phone - she was already three minutes late. She brought her walk to a run until she reached the Rose & Crown bar. "Sorry I'm late!" she called out as she entered the back room. She grabbed her black waitress apron and walked over to her boss.

He pointed over to the bar. "You're on bar duty." She nodded and walked behind the bar.

"Okay, Clara Oswald, you can do this," she whispered to herself. She had only been placed on bar duty twice in the past year, and the first time was a test that determined she shouldn't be placed on bar duty. She wasn't the best at making the drinks, it was handing them out and beating down the guys that flirted with her that she was good at. She sighed, waiting for an order to come.

Her good friend Nina walked up to the bar. "Table nine wants two mugs of beer and four shots." Nina raised her eyebrows at Clara as if to say, _"Bar duty? Should we call an ambulance in advance?"_

Clara nodded at the order. Simple so far. She made the order, put it all on a circular tray, and gave it to Nina.

Everything was going smoothly for once. She would receive an order, and she would look at her cheat sheet her boss nicely (or more, worriedly) put out for her, and they would be delivered. There were no spills or mistakes. She had had some rough patches of about five plus orders to make at once, but it wasn't too bad.

Clara glanced at the clock and smiled. "Only ten minutes left until my shift is done!"

"What was that?" her customer asked.

"Oh, nothing. I tend to mumble to myself a lot."

The customer nodded, swirling his Scotch drink. "I do that quite often as well. Helps when you're lonely."

Clara frowned. "I'm not lonely."

"Neither am I." He smiled brightly.

Clara giggled. "Clever of you."

"Well, I am clever!"

"Hm? How so?" she edged.

"I'm currently working on my major in Quantum Physics. Perfect scores so far."

Clara leaned forward. "So humble."

He leaned forward as well. "Very. As are you, Clara."

She melted as he said her name. _Clar-ruh._ Scottish hint there. She froze. "How do you know my name?"

"Name tag." He pointed at the tag she had on.

She took the name tag and looked at it. "Oh."

He chuckled. "I'm David."

She smiled. "Clara!" She paused. "As you already know..." She turned pink as she held at her hand.

David grabbed her hand, but rather than shaking it, he pulled it up to his lips and press a soft kiss to the delicate skin. "It was lovely meeting you, Clara. Now, unfortunately, I have to run over to say hello to my friend before he wonders where I am. Will you be here tomorrow?"

She bit her lip. "Every day from six to ten."

David looked at his watch. "It's nearly six now."

Clara smiled. "I switched shifts with someone. Twice. It was for a party yesterday, we changed stuff up."

David smiled. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then. I wish that I didn't have to meet up with someone right now, because I don't want to go." He winked at her, giving her a smile before dropping his due money in front of her and walking out the front door.

Let's just say it was a pretty good tip.

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David did come the next day, and a few random days after, but nothing much happened between them. They flirted, talked, flirted some more, and he started to ask her out at one point before a blonde suspiciously called him over and he went to her without hesitation. Clara sighed after his fifth appearance. She wasn't going to get anywhere with him. She liked him, but there was something missing. It was like there was something giant in his life that she didn't know about.

The more Clara thought about it, the more she realised that she felt the exact same way, if not more intense,with John, and that's why she could never find herself falling for him. For David, she didn't care much to find out the big secret, but for John...John was her best friend.

Clara Oswald was determined to find out about the Doctor's past.

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**So that's that! Next chapter is a bit of a filler again, but the ending has a little bit of a twist. :) But don't fret, the next chapter will be a completely fluffy Souffez filler! :D So please drop a review to let me know you enjoy the story!**

**~ Sunny**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! Sorry this chapter took a few days to get to you. As many of you probably know, the website had an updating issue for about a day. I tried to update then, but that was the only computer access time I had until now. Sadly, I can't update from my mobile! :P I hope that this chapter is better than I think it is! :D Also, I apologize for any mistakes. English actually isn't my first language, but I'd like to think it's pretty good!**

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**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

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_Now and then I think of when we were together  
__Like when you said you felt so happy you could die  
__Told myself that you were right for me  
__But felt so lonely in your company  
__But that was love and it's an ache I still remember_

_"Somebody That I Used to Know"_ by Gotye

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Christmas was a quiet affair. Clara had a row with her father, so they were left with no family to stay with for the holidays. The Doctor and Clara simply sat in their home, cooked a nice meal, watched Elf, and called it a Christmas celebration. John got Clara a bow tie cardigan, and Clara had giggled when it matched her present for him: a blue bow tie. He had considered getting her a puppy (she was dying for one), but their flat wasn't quite the environment. Plus, it was more of a couple-ly sort of present. They tried their best to cheer up for the other, but Christmas was one of those holidays you wish you could spend with your family.

New Years, on the other hand, got a little bit hectic.

They planned it to be exactly like Christmas: simple, relaxing, staying up late...but the Doctor had something bigger planned. It was New Year's Eve, which meant a New Year's kiss at midnight.

John Smith was most definitely in love with Clara Oswald, and he was finally going to do something about it.

His plan was perfect. And flawless to awkward situations. They'd go about their usual plans, maybe spicing it up a bit on the romantic side, but not enough for her to notice that it was intentional. Midnight would strike, and _bam_! He would plant his lips on her mouth. If she kissed back, then all was well. If she pushed away, or made it clear after the kiss that she wasn't interested, then he could blame it on the tradition. "Might as well follow the tradition?" he would say. He'd be heartbroken, but at least their friendship wouldn't be ruined.

John played the scene in his mind over and over on the 30th. He barely got a wink of sleep that night. All he could imagine was Clara kissing him back...pushing him against the couch...straddling him...

He was mostly replaying the kiss from when she was drunk for the billionth time. It was seared into his brain. (Not that it was a bad thing.)

The Doctor tried his best to keep his imagination from running. He refused to convince himself that Clara would surely want him. He may not be welcomed to kiss her. He tried to shake that depressing thought. It was best just to leave it alone, and not expect anything at all.

John finally managed to fall asleep, only to wake up two hours later from a loud bang. He opened his eyes groggily, only half awake. He yawned. He managed to stand up, and he made his way to the bathroom.

He was so tired that he hadn't heard the water running, or noticed at the fact the door was mostly closed (a little crack was open), and the light was on.

The bathroom lock ceased to work one random day, and they had vowed to each other to make sure it was safe to walk in. John was breaking that vow.

He stumbled in, shocked and wide-eyed to see a naked Clara. Well, he didn't see very much. He ran out before she had even registered that he had walked in. "Clara, I am _so _sorry! I didn't see anything, I swear! I was just so tired and forgot to-"

John paused when the shower stopped and the door opened. Clara was wrapped in the towel, her hair dripping. She smiled. "It's okay. You didn't mean to walk in on me. Most guys would've stayed in there and stared at me until I punched them."

"Don't punch me?" he pleaded.

Clara looked at him with her big eyes. "Don't worry."

John straightened out and smiled. "Well, sorry anyways." He glanced up and down her body. "Could you put some clothes on?"

"Why? Is it..._distracting_?" she teased.

The Doctor gulped. "A little."

Clara rolled her eyes, muttering, "Men," before going into her room and shutting the door behind her. The Doctor blushed furiously, making his way back into the bathroom to take his shower.

* * *

New Year's Eve started out decent. They made their food, got out the booze, and started watching the Matrix. The plan was for the movie to finish the movie to finish a few minutes before midnight, so they wouldn't miss the special transition. Well, for Clara, it was just the transition. For John, it was part of his plan.

He opened the bottle of champagne with a _pop_, pouring Clara and him a decent amount before handing it to her. "Cheers!" they said.

"To given up New Year's resolutions!" Clara giggled.

"That will become this New Year's resolutions!" The two laughed even more at that.

The two invested themselves in watching the brilliant movie. John smiled at the fact that they were closer than usual; it was very couple-y. Her head rested on his shoulder, and his hand wrapped around her upper back to pull her in. He pressed a light kiss into her hair, no new territory there.

He waited impatiently for the movie to finish. It was his favourite movie, but he wanted midnight to come. He wanted to kiss Clara. He wanted them to become a thing.

Part of John wished that he hadn't stopped Clara from kissing him that one night. Of course, he wouldn't have let it go all the way, but it would've been nice to savour her soft lips a little longer. He gave a content sigh of the memory, and Clara gave him a questioning look. "What is it?"

Not wanting to tell her the truth, he shrugged. "I can't believe it's almost 2014 already. I remember our last New Year's like it was yesterday!"

Clara smiled. "Blimey, does time fly quickly. We've known each other for over a year now. It's odd, really. It feels like I met you recently, but I also feel like you've been there for my entire life."

"I feel the same," he replied softly. It took almost everything for him not to snog her right then and there.

* * *

Soon enough, the movie was over. The credits were playing, and there were only a few minutes before midnight. The Doctor paid close attention to the time, desperately waiting for midnight to roll around. The two smiled at each other for their different reasons, and they got more champagne ready.

"Only two more minutes!" Clara exclaimed. "And then we switch to another year!"

John nodded enthusiastically, then frowning. "I never quite understood why we celebrate our planet making a cycle around the sun."

Clara chuckled. "It's something to celebrate over! The more reasons to drink booze, the better!"

John looked over at the clock.

_11:59_.

It was nearly time. He moved closer to Clara, trying to be subtle about it, ready to swoop in and plant one on her when the number changed. She smiled, staring at the clock, and they started getting ready to count down, before being rudely interrupted.

Someone had rung the doorbell.

* * *

**Oh, and a cliffhanger! Sorry about that! But I need something to keep you wanting to continue! I'll be sure to update by the end of this weekend, but please drop a review so that I can be motivated to write! Pretty please? :3**

**~ Sunny**


	5. Chapter 5

**Lots of positive reviews for this story so far! It makes me so happy! :D Most of you were able to guess who's at the door, but if you weren't sure, you find out now! I hope you all like Allonswin. ;) (Don't worry, there'll be a lot of Souffez as well, but we've got to have our development!) Enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

* * *

_Story books are full of fairy tales_

_Of kings and queens and the bluest skies_

_My heart is torn just in knowing_

_You'll someday see the truth from lies_

"_In My Arms" _by Plumb

* * *

The Doctor and the Clara both frowned as a series of five knocks came in contact with the door. Clara shrugged sadly, getting up to answer the door. John frowned when she was out of site. Who would be at the door?

Clara walked towards the door, opening it slowly. She blinked when she saw who it was, frozen in place. Finally, she overcame the shock. "David?" His mouth was slightly agape, surprised to see her. She opened the door more widely. "What are you doing here?"

David blinked. "I could ask you the same thing."

Clara looked at him incredulously. "I _live_ here!"

"Well, what do you do that for?"

Clara frowned. "So if you're not here to see me...?" she started, waiting for him to answer her original question.

He looked at her, confused, but cleared up when he realized what she was asking. "_Oh_! Er, I was looking for the living place of someone called John Smith, but I must have the wrong address. Small world though, eh, Clara?"

Clara giggled lightly. "You have the right address. John lives here!"

David frowned. "Oh, I didn't realise you were in a relationship."

Clara in turn was in confusion. "Oh, no, no, no. We're not together. We're just roommates."

David smiled. "Well then! Where can I see him? Well, talk to him. You get the point."

"Come on in. Can I get you some tea?"

"English breakfast, two sugars and some milk please!" he replied delightly.

"Caffeine? At this hour? Are you guys studying for an exam or something?"

David shrugged. "It may be a bit of talking. We have a lot to catch up on. If he doesn't kick me out first."

Clara raised an eyebrow. "John never talks much about his past. It seems to be a difficult subject that he won't ever want to return to."

"Clara? Who is it?" they heard the Doctor call out. Then came the upcoming footsteps.

"Good luck," Clara whispered to David as John walked into the room.

It was another silent pause before anyone did or said anything. Everyone was still, staring at one another. David spoke first. "Hey, John."

The Doctor's face scrunched, then softened, then turned angry. "David?"

"It's me."

John stepped forward angrily. "What the hell are you doing here?" He didn't even pause for a reply before turning to Clara. "What the hell is he doing here?"

Clara shrugged, smiling sheepishly before running out of the entry room to make the tea for the three of them.

David raised his hands up in surrender. "I'm not here to bring you back. I miss you, but I know you weren't happy. We never had any issues."

John was seething. "Get out of my house! You have no right to be here! By being here, you're getting Clara involved! And we don't want Clara involved."

"Sweet girl. I met her a couple months ago. I never realised that she knew you, though."

Clara cautiously re entered. "Can I ask what I'm involved in?"

John rushed to Clara, holding her shoulders comfortingly. "Don't worry. He's leaving now. And he won't bother us again." He gave a glance towards David at the last bit.

David shook his head. "No. I'm not leaving. I'm not bringing anyone into anything. I just want us to talk again. I miss my big brother." He gave some emphasis at the end.

Clara looked at the Doctor. "Brothers?" She looked between the two. "Doctor, just talk to him. It can't hurt to know what's been going on while you've been away."

John sighed. "Alright. I'll talk to him."

Clara smiled reassuringly, giving a nod at David. "I'll be back with the tea."

John made his way towards the living room, letting David follow him. He glanced back every now and then, and David only smiled.

John didn't know what to think. It was true, David never caused any ill to him, that was all his parents. John ran away because he hadn't wanted to get involved. Clara brought them the tea as promised, and the conversation started.

The conversation went better than expected. They got along, talked about what they did in the past. It went smoothly for two hours.

"Well, I should get going," David finished. John nodded lightly. "Oh! Er, I actually came here to do something." He shuffled around his pockets until he found an envelope. He held it out to John. "It's an invitation to my twenty-first. I know you don't want to go back, but it'd mean a lot. I can guarantee that they won't bug you. Too much."

John gave a small smile and accepted the invitation. "I can't promise that I'll go, but I'll be sure to keep in contact."

David lifted the corners of his lips, but sadly. "I'll be going, now."

John showed him to the door. "I'll see you around?"

* * *

Afterwords, Clara came up to him and gave him a hug. She didn't say anything, she just grabbed him and wrapped her arms around him. She stroked his hair, moving her head to kiss his cheek.

When they pulled away from each other slowly, Clara smiled at him. "I'm happy you talked to him."

"I am too," John replied softly.

"I hope it went well."

"It did." He pulled out the envelope. "He invited me to his birthday party."

"Are you going to go?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm still trying to decide."

Clara held his hand. "Just do what you think is right. I have no idea what it's like with your family, but I'm here for you."

"Thank you, Clara Oswald."

John wanted to kiss her right then and there, but he feared she would take it wrong. He sighed, leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Good night." The words were hidden within.

_I love you, Clara Oswald._

* * *

**Did you enjoy this chapter? Hate it? Let me know by reviewing! It means a lot, thank you!**

**~ Sunny**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm sorry that this took a whole week to update! My finals are coming up (they're this week), so I've been busy studying. I'm sorry if this seems kind of choppy. I wrote it in like five different sittings. :P Anywho, here it is!**

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**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

* * *

_Hidden companion  
__Phantom be still in my heart  
__Make me a promise that  
__Time won't erase us  
__That we were not lost from the start_

_"Still Here"_ by Digital Daggers

* * *

John and Clara didn't talk too much over the next few days. It was settle, quieter than usual. He appreciated that she knew that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. David had told him some things he wished he didn't have to know, but it was for the best.

The Doctor wanted nothing less than to reunite with his past. He wish he could tear it up, throw it in a box, lock the box, lock it in a room within a house, and burn the entire house down.

Too bad it wasn't that simple.

Clara sent him many sympathetic looks throughout those few days. She gave him comforting hugs whenever he looked down. He wished he could tell her the truth, but it was too dangerous. For her to know was to thrust her into a world of pain.

After reading the invitation for the hundredth time, he decided to approach Clara with the situation.

"I've made a decision," he announced one day, when Clara was in the middle of baking him one of her soufflés.

He heard the mixing bowl clatter against the counter, and she was sitting beside him within seconds. She stared hopefully into his eyes, a twinkled shined as she smiled at him.

There were many moments where John wished he could lean forward and press his lips against hers, and that was one of those moments. She looked so proud, so hopeful, at his words. A decision. John managed to keep himself in check as he continued.

"I've decided that I'm going to the party. It's David's twenty-first, and I think I should go."

"I'll go with you."

The Doctor gave her a warm smile, and shook his head. "I appreciate it, but I wouldn't dare drag you into the hell of my family."

"Is it really all that bad?" she questioned.

He hesitated. "No. A lot was actually pretty good. But, everyone suffered so much. I wish I could tell you more, but I can't. Though, I can tell you this: my family did mean well at first. Then, things became desperate, and everyone did things that they weren't proud of."

"Have you ever killed anyone?" The question caused a silence between the two. Clara winced at her bluntness. "I'm sorry. I was just curious what happened that was so bad. I didn't mean it like that."

The Doctor took her hand. "I want you to know that no matter what, I will always take care of you. I will never harm you in any way." He paused, playing with her delicate fingers. "No, I've never killed anyone. But I almost did. I had the gun, I had it pointed, but I didn't shoot."

Clara bit her lip. "Who?"

"My father."

John wished he could unsee the way her face looked for that split moment. Her eyes were terrified, her mouth open in horror. Then, she cleared up, and sympathy appeared in its place. "Is there a reason why?"

"He's the reason my best friends are dead. He didn't murder them, but it was his fault. And he didn't even care. He laughed. And I wanted him to pay."

Clara gave him a teary smile. "I don't blame you. If I knew who killed my mother, they wouldn't even see tomorrow. I don't think I'd ever be able to pull the trigger, but I'd definitely make him sit in a prison cell for the rest of my life."

Clara leaned forward and pulled him into an embrace, which he returned. He buried his head into her hair, pressing a kiss into it.

Clara pulled back, biting her lip. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

The Doctor looked hesitant. "I don't want to bring you into my family's issues."

Clara grinned sheepishly. "That wasn't a no," she pointed out. "I'm going with you."

John let out a small laugh at her stubborness. "Fine."

* * *

The Doctor called David a minute later. He glanced at Clara, who nodded encouragingly. The phone was picked up, and they heard David tentatively say, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me." John looked over. "And Clara."

"Oh, hey! What's up?" he replied.

Clara smiled. "We just wanted to say hello. And that we'll be going to your party!"

There was a pause. "...Both of you...?"

John took the phone and put it off speakerphone. He put it to his ear. "Yeah, Clara's coming too. That shouldn't be a problem, right?" John smiled towards Clara to reassure her.

"Oh, not at all. I'm just surprised."

"What for?"

John heard David take a deep breath. "You put up a huge fight the other day because you didn't want her to be a part of your past. Now you're leading her through the open door. How much does she already know?"

"Eh, not much." He gave another smile towards Clara before slowly leaving the room. "I told her a little bit about the Ponds, that I nearly shot Dad, and then I left."

"So you lied to her?"

John cringed. "I prefer to think of it as bending the truth."

"Dude, she'll find out if she goes to the party."

The Doctor scowled. "She won't if she sticks with me."

"Just be careful. We had to invite the Master so we wouldn't cause suspicion. You can't let him near her."

The Doctor nearly dropped the phone. "What the hell? You invited him? Are you trying to start a war?"

David's voice began to raise. "No, _you_ tried to start a war with him before he left. I'm just trying to clean up the mess!"

"Do you remember what he did? What he planned to do? What he's still planning to do? Harold Saxon is not someone you tease. We need to bring him down before he destroys us."

"John, calm down. He's just coming to the party. There'll be cameras and security everywhere. You won't have to worry about him trying anything. Just keep him away from Clara, nor let him know that you two are close."

John nodded to himself. "I know how his mind works. I'll see you in a week, then. Give Mum my love? And give a good old punch to _your_ dad. Make it painful."

John could practically feel David's eyes rolling. "He's your dad too. I haven't told Mum anything yet, but I probably should. Don't want to give her a heart attack at the party! I'll see you then, I suppose. Is there any chance that I can talk to Clara?"

John felt shocked and angry at the request, but returned to Clara and handed her the phone nonetheless.

She held it up to her ear shyly. "Hi, David. What do you need?"

John tried his best to try to listen to David's side, but couldn't. He crossed his arms in a pout.

Clara blushed. "Thanks. You too!"

Was David _flirting_ with her? John turned red in jealousy.

Next came a laugh. "Alright, will do! I'll see you at the party?" She listened. "Oh, wonderful! I'll see you tomorrow then!"

_Tomorrow_? Was David coming to their haven?

"Alright, bye!"

Clara handed his phone back to him. John looked at it for a moment. "What did he say?"

Clara shrugged. "Not much."

John nodded suspiciously. "What was that about tomorrow?"

"Oh! That! Nothing important. He just mentioned that he'll be stopping by the bar tomorrow. It _is_ Saturday, I suppose. It is his night to come!"

"You mean he's been seeing you at the bar every Saturday for a while?"

"Yeah! That's how I know him. I first met him the day after that Halloween party. I was nearly done with my shift when he stopped by. He's been coming nearly every Saturday since."

John felt jealous. He never knew about this. He supposed that was good. If she had shown interest in David, she would have mentioned it to him. She always talked to him about the _special_ customers. More than he liked, but at least it reassured him that she wasn't interested in David.

Clara kissed his cheek and left him to think.

* * *

**So that's it for this chapter! I'll update in about a week, then after that, I should be back to my two or three times a week schedule! But please leave a review to encourage me to write more!**

**~ Sunny**


	7. Chapter 7

**Holy crap, I did not expect to update that quickly! I just started writing and I couldn't stop! SO, yeah… Here's a new chapter. :P After this, you'll have to wait until Friday or Saturday! (Which isn't **_**too **_**long. :P)**

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**DISCLAIMER: I sadly do not own Doctor Who. :(**

* * *

_If our love is tragedy,  
__Why are you my remedy?  
__If our love's insanity,  
__Why are you my clarity?_

_"Clarity"_ by Zedd

* * *

David smiled as Clara walked into the bar. "Hey, stranger!"

Clara gave him a wave. "You're here early!"

He shrugged. "Well, I wanted to see you." He smiled cheekily.

She grinned and got ready for work. David sighed and got himself a table, thinking about Clara. He liked her. A lot. She was smart, funny, beautiful... He met her on that one fateful day, and couldn't resist coming back. He came every Saturday night just to see her and talk to her. They had a lot in common.

Then, it turned out that she was his brother's roommate. Talk about a coincidence.

A small glass of Scotch was placed in front of him, and he looked up to Clara's bright face. "I got you your usual."

"Thank you!" David sipped the drink. "How's John holding up?"

Clara pressed her lips together. "He stayed in his room for a couple days before he made his decision."

"What about his work? Isn't he a psychologist?"

"He works from home, mostly. He does university research."

David nodded. "Ah, that's right. I just assumed he worked in an office or something."

"He hates office spaces. He took a shift for a friend once, and ended up putting the poor customer on hold so that he could eat a biscuit."

"That definitely sounds like him." They both laughed.

Clara frowned. "I've gotta start serving."

She got up sadly, ready to serve the coming customers. A large group of men came in and sat at a table. She walked up to them and froze.

"You," she spat out.

"You," he replied angrily.

It was him. The man who tried to rape her the night she met John. It felt so long ago, yet she'd recognize him anywhere.

Clara wanted to run away. The man scared her. He reminded her of how helpless she is. How easily she could have been raped. She silently excused herself, walking over to her colleague. "Nina, could you do me a huge favour and take the new guys?"

Nina raised an eyebrow. "Sure. You busy with Mister Hottie over there?" She nodded her head towards David.

"Yeah, sure." She shoved the apron in Nina's hands and walked away backwards. "Thank you so much!"

"You better finish my storing job by the end of the night shift!" Nina called out.

Clara nodded and turned around, bumping into the man. "Get away from me," she snarled.

"Or what?"

"I'll call the police."

The man bent down so that their faces were level. "I'm still pissed about that. I got arrested because of you. Just because I wanted to have fun."

"_Fun_?" she nearly screamed out. "You tried to rape me!" she whispered harshly.

"Love, you were asking for it with your short skirt. It was as if you wanted a little fun."

Clara pushed him far away from her. "It's my work outfit. I'm serious. Get away from me or I will call the police."

The man growled at her, saying, "I'll get you. I promise I will get my revenge," before turning away to go back to his posse.

Clara shivered worriedly. She walked over and slid onto the chair by David's.

"You got off work for me? How sweet!" David said jokingly.

Clara rolled her eyes. "I can't work tonight. Not while he's here."

"The guy you were talking to?"

Clara fiddled with her fingers. "Yeah."

"Ex?"

"Oh god no." She played with her mum's ring. "He was there on the best day of my life. The day I met the Doctor. The problem is, it easily could've been the worst day of my life if the Doctor hadn't been there at the right time."

David grabbed her hands, stopping her from fiddling. "What is it?"

Clara bit her lip. "It's not important. I just don't trust him. I hate him. He's not a good man."

David put a rest to it. "Alright. If you say so. Just let me know if I can do anything."

Clara smiled sweetly at him. "Could you stay here? Keep an eye on him? I need to go to the storages, but I don't want to worry that he'll come find me."

David pulled his hands from hers. "Of course."

She nodded. She got up before making a split second decision. She leaned over and kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "Thank you."

Clara trotted off, leaving David to blush. His fingers went to caress where her lips had been. He smiled like a lovesick teenager, sitting there, sipping his Scotch.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, David was still keeping watch on the man. They were still drinking to no end, making crude jokes about their waitress. He had interfered at one point, when they started to hit her with prostitution jokes, getting a little handsy with her, and she had looked like she wanted to murder them.

"She's a waitress, not an escort," he had yelled sternly. He had given the barmaid a smile, which she had returned. "Now leave her alone and treat her like an average person, or _I'll_ start getting handsy on _you_. And not in the good way."

He could tell that the girl was definitely appreciative. She had snuck him a little dessert, whispering, "It's on the house."

But after the hour, he saw John. His awkward brother came up to the pub, quickly checking his reflection in the window before entering. He froze.

"David..." he started out. "I thought you would be gone by now?"

"Clara asked me to stay. Something about some creepy guy."

John automatically stood up straighter, his eyes looked protective. "Which one."

"That one," he pointed out towards the direction of the group, and then tilted his head in confusion.

John glanced over. "Which one?"

David opened his mouth. "...He's gone...The group is still there, but he's gone. Oh, shit."

John glared at the group. "Did she say anything? Who the man was?"

David shut his eyes. "Ummm, she said that she met him the day she met you. And that the wasn't a good guy. Do you know him."

The Doctor's eyes immediately turned fierce. "We need to find Clara. _Now_."

David stood up. "She said she was going to storage, I think. Why? Who is that guy?"

John rubbed his head. "That's the guy I had to beat up because he tried to...well...rape Clara."

David began to fill with rage. He ran over to the barmaid. "Where's Clara?" She looked stunned.

John ran up. "Nina, it's important. We need to find Clara right now."

Nina pointed towards the back room. "Storage. She should be in Room Three."

John immediately sprinted over, David following. "Clara?" they both called for her.

Clara popped out from behind a shelf. "Oh, John! You're early!"

David and John glanced at each over, giving a sigh of relief. The Doctor walked over and gave Clara a hug. "I was worried for a minute."

David nodded slowly. "We lost sight of the man."

Clara pulled away. "Well, I'm fine." She smiled. "Everything is good now, and always will be."

She never knew that one person could be so wrong.

* * *

**Remember to leave a review! :D**

**~ Sunny**


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